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10/1/1991 - The 10th World Forestry Congress by Paula Williams

NoT FOR PuBLIcATION WITHOUTWRITER SCONSENT INSTITUTEOFCURRENTWORLDAFFAIRS Paw The World Forestry C0ngress Mr Peter Bird Martin Executive Director Institute Current World Affairs West Wheelock Street Hanover NH 03755 USA Dear Peter The Institute Current World Affairs ICWA associated attendance World Forestry Congresses In I attended World Forestry Congress Jakarta Indonesia At meeting I three ICWA Fellows Dianna Donovan Gary Hartshorn Bill Knowland All three beginning their fellowships Dianna route Nepal Bill Southeast Asia Gary cover Latin America Through meeting I learned about Institute special fellowship program people forests In years after beginning fellowship I attended World Forestry Congress Mexico City PJW Once again I Dianna Donovan there At point Dianna working forestry research project Indonesia Last month I Paris World Forestry Congress This however I ICWA Fellow former Fellow attendance What reflect The ICWA Forest Society Fellows focused their relationships between people human societies forests The World Forestry Congress examined theme Forests A Heritage Future Much discussion centered forests economic development private enterprise Some development aspects forestry people participation forest management conservation received scant attention The Paris meeting September It attended registered participants Many sessions plenary while technical sessions three groups A small satellite meetings The Congress highly organized organized When arrived register given copies eight volumes Proceedings The Congress papers eight months advance could translated printed before arrived This first World Forestry Congress where papers printed advance While participants thought wonderful development congratulated Organizing Committee accomplishment others muttered about bothered everything fixed advance could mailed papers Due structure conference opportunities participants contribute discussions severely limited When technical sessions members audience permitted contribute Paula J Williams Forest Society Fellow Institute Current World Affairs studying human forest resources Saharan Africa Since Institute Current World Affairs Crane Rogers Foundation provided fellowships enable outstanding young adults outside United States write about international areas issues Endowed bythelateCharlesR Crane theInstituteisalsosupportedbycontributionsfromlike mindedindividualsand foundations questions comments usually written advance The session moderators generally chose which questions entertain A satellite meetings legal issues social forestry participatory satisfying The Congress dominated traditional forestry concerns limited attention development issues highlighted World Forestry Congress Much discussion focused private sector emphasizing private small medium sized forest landowners individuals families running small commercial forestry operations Such private owners quite common France where organized association Private forest owners significant elsewhere Europe North America The agroforestry activities farmers developing countries activities governmental organizations working farmers other resource users received attention Some sessions dealt economic institutional incentives needed foster private forestry enterprises The Congress began series formalities The honorary geographical Vice Presidents Congress introduced three Africa Republic South Africa Only Brazil woman President Francois Mitterand opened Congress Despite overall traditional focus nonetheless provocative speeches Prince Bernard Netherlands honorary President WorldWide Fund Nature WWF opening address He commented important Northern countries preach forest conservation practice support For example suggested France should conserve million hectares tropical forests French Guyana perhaps creating Man Biosphere reserve The French reply tropical forests French Guyana already domain state implying state foresters looking after The paper forestry education quite startling The author Laurence Roche University Wales contended foresters should forget about agroforestry social forestry leave those issues agriculturalists instead return focus traditional forest management forest reserves forest estates Roche seemed think foresters should confine themselves narrow niche Roche stated belief forestry differ between developed developing countries false distinction hindered technology transfer Although direct rebuttals within session other speakers presented contrasting viewpoints E Gio rdano Italian speaking about forestry education university level noted technical education insufficient He social aspects gaining importance Giordano expressed concern however about foresters losing their professional image He suggested flexibility needed specializations Ab Oguntala Nigerian funded FAO train forest technicians Lesotho agreed forestry colleges shouldn their forestry identity But argued environment social problems considered He noted training women education children public information become important In another session C H Murray heads FAO Forestry Department called greater training foresters social sciences anthropology communications extension Peter Poshen International Labour Organization spoke about situation forest workers Over years increasingly forestry contra Consequently countries woodsworkers increasing safety health hazards decreasing bargaining power their employers Woodswork tends D difficult dangerous dirty Laborers often receive little training In addition often these contracting arrangements provide benefits local community Poshen recommended several policy changes protect workers He noted concern workers should linked efforts promote privatization popular participation forestry often forest workers farmers In session social cultural landscape functions trees forests U S speakers talked about urban forestry G Moll American Forestry Association noted average U S cover percent He citizen participation developing urban forestry programs Many developing countries participants learn about urban forestry urban forestry activities Many developing country forestry departments focus rural activities Developing countries becoming increasingly urbanized predicted century population developing countries cities Urban people trees various reasons firewood charcoal cooking trees shade aesthetics parks leisure recreation A session economic social values provocative speakers different points Hans Gregersen forest economist University Minnesota argued forestry decisions technical political The challenge suggested increase dialogue forest values gains power decide Paivi5 Riihinen University Helsinki disagreed about extent which decisions political You stated ublic matters regarding level technical expertise Alfredo Sfeir Younis Chilean resource economist working World Bank spoke about recent evaluation Almost eighty World Bank projects forestry activities examined The study concluded important ingredients project success human resources institutional capabilities technical components Successful projects include local participation beginning He argued rather putting forest first foresters traditionally tended people first This tension seemed recurring dichotomy Congress extent should forestry management decisions foresters extent politicians general public Many participants foresters qualified technical decisions forest management Others think forest conservation management decisions necessarily political decisions involve technical forestry advice people participation One speaker noted forestry issues receiving world attention negative reasons public feels foresters doing management It because forests important because being devastated media public interested saving forests C S Maina Canada noted forestry grown important topic environmental developmental grounds Another concern directions priorities forestry research Some comments audience noted research discussions considered formal forestry research participative research John Spears World Bank explained current plans strengthen forestry research The Consultative Group International Agricultural Research CGIAR establish research institute forestry issues comple International Council Agroforestry Research ICRAF Nairobi The center probably somewhere Southeast Asia Mohamed Nor Salleh directs Forest Research Institute Malaysia heads International Union Forestry Research Organizations IUFRO lauded initiative CGIAR center He spoke quite eloquently about develop national research capability He stated countries without their research capabilities cannot compete never truly independent With research argued group people evolve towards thinking innovative questioning society Salleh noted forestry research organization scientists foresters Salleh called establishment United Nations agency specifically forestry issues He stated FAO focuses agricultural issues provides percent budget forestry tivities Others Congress Murray Assistant Director General FAO Forestry share Salleh viewpoint separate UN organization needed ensure forestry activities attention support As I previously written PJW several speakers World Forestry Congress mentioned preparations upcoming United Nations Conference Environment Development UNCED Although information presented UNCED process participants World Forestry Congress asked review comment proposed UNCED Forestry Principles The Congress organizers policy declaration Congress considered UNCED meeting The policy declaration itself calls decision makers integrate Congress conclusions forestry principles biodiversity climate change negotiations being prepared UNCED Some discussions Tropical Forestry Action Plan TFAP place This initiative proposed World Forestry Congress Mexico City Since tropical countries prepared National Forestry Action Plans They received technical financial assistance donor community prepare these plans Many countries disappointed however donor community programs projects identified national plans Furthermore donors continue insist funding activities reflect donors priorities rather those recipient government One Indian speaker expressed stating foresters vitamin M money If donors would provide money foresters would carry their national forestry plans Mr Feldman member Brazilian Parliament noted Amazonian forest received worldwide attention Many Brazilians surprised rnational community responded concrete actions financing Brazil would interested nature swaps offered Consequently difficult economic situation growing backlash against environmentalists emerging Brazil Many Brazilians stated think upcoming UNCED meeting Rio Janelro trick Feldman expressed disappointment UNCED preparations If argued unique chance discuss relationship between environment development This Congress women attendance previous I attended At least three hundred women participated For first I African women attendance Nonetheless weeks meetings I three women stand before Congress presentations Aulikki Kauppila Finland presented report Ministerial Conference Protection Europea Forests Cristal Palmberg Lerche another Finn professional women FAO Forestry Department heads Forest Genetics section summarized discussion Conservation Protection Forest Heritage participated roundtable discussion The Forest Greenhouse Effect Claire Humbert French served Moderator discussion Public forestry sector participated round table discussion Ownership Users As technical sessions simultaneously perhaps there other women speakers I missed The issue women participation forestry activities either professional level participants social forestry activities identified subject discussion Only speakers referred explicitly women participation whereas spoke about forest In contrast World Forestry Congress women forestry defined issue within areas forestry employment Twenty three invited voluntary papers written topic Williams 1978a 1978b At Congress women forestry considered within context development issues Williams 1985a 1985b Outside conference rooms however encouraging I colleagues I attended workshop forestry technical training Mr Hassan forestry extension officers Sudan women Oguntala noted forestry technical students Lesotho women Similarly FAO recently affirmed involving women forestry activities important The latest issue Unasy FAO international forestry magazine interviewed Edouard Saouma FAO Director General Saouma noted priority FAO forestry activities enhancing women forestry increase number women forestry professionals extension agents removing legal constraints women involvement forestry ensuring their equal rights productive resources credit marketing channels technology training The Community Forestry Office FAO working women forestry issues encouraging their efforts finally being supported Director General Some other participants shared frustration Congress limited attention issues people participation We seemed however minority I situation indicative forestry profession whole Many colleagues actively working social forestry related development issues World Forestry Congress Paris knowing agenda would focus these issues Only NGO representatives invited present papers NGOs forestry session private forestry sector Jeff Sayer responsible tropical forestry issues IUCN paper participated round table discussion influence policies trees forests territorial development Another NGO representative Environment Liaison Centre International ELCl failed paper presented anyone Another invited speaker failed prepared paper NGO activities paper presented In other Congress sessions where speaker failed appear someone presented their papers The conference organizers particular session however already overcrowded The participation environment development governmental organizations NGOs meeting quite disappointing Most NGOs participating major organizations International Union Forestry Research Organizations IUFRO WorldWide Fund Nature WWF International Union Conservation Nature IUCN The International Tropical Timber Organization ITTO American Forestry Association AFA As Sayers noted NGOs would World Forestry Congress World Congress Foresters This NGO participation particularly surprising French government hosted World Forestry Congress The French publicly stated their support NGO participation upcoming UNCED conference Rio Janeiro To facilitate NGO participation UNCED French hosting major NGO conference Paris December The final revisions draft policy declaration Congress worked committee eight One person chosen represent NGO community He however frustrating process difficult other committee members importance mentioning people alone women The final policy declaration Congress makes women French reference tousles hommes tousles peuples peoples The policy declaration drafted before arrived Paris It revised committee during Congress presented policy working group review Out members policy group seven women The final policy statement Paris Declaration Congress participants plenary final morning adopted without discussion The organizers spoke Congress reached consensus policy declaration On final afternoon Congress assembled conference concert National Youth Orchestra France Shortly after lights dimmed music started people rushed stage They stand among musicians unfurled sheets paper words Boycott Bois Tropical Boycott Tropical Wood Authoriti Congress managed hustle protestors stage others allowed remain rather disrupt concert The conductor looked continued performance After about minutes three African delegates walked One stated situation intolerable asked participants Saharan Africa leave At point perhaps hundred participants walked Most Africans other tropical countries One delegate explained outrage Throughout Congress security guards stopping everyone insist seeing their registration badges Why could prevented protest The Congress policy declaration morning affirmed national sovereignty managing forests against restrictions timber trade Most Congress participants believe tropical would tropical forests would difficult tropical countries develop means engage forest conservation The Congress organizers stopped concert removed protestors They expressed their profound apologies participants asked return After concert resumed finished During final thanks protestors stage grabbing speaker microphone The authorities quickly hustled stage We heard woman protester Sauver Save After protesters finally speakers noted foresters still better communications public The event involved invitations World Forestry Congress Three countries offered Congress Peru Turkey Senegal As there never World Forestry Congress Africa I think Sen invitation might accepted FAO When Congress Hall several protesters standing outside wearing white masks handing literature their various causes One person handed flyer protesting ecological devastation deforestation occurred Tibet allegedly Chinese harvests Tibetan forests Overall I Congress particularly participatory event To accompany speeches effort producing videos fancy computer driven audio visual presentations several which technical glitches Although people select spoke Many speakers roundtable discussions authors invited papers addressed Congress three times As thousand authors contributed invited voluntary papers should enlarge speakers The question discussion sessions following presentations fficult limited permit everyone contribute their opinions The World Forestry Congress focused Forests People stressed international forestry development issues The World Forestry Congress Forests Integral Development Society seemed traditional conservative predecessor The Congress considering Forests A Heritage Future seemed conservative three Does reflect meeting France rather developing country Or signal changing interests One colleague suggested perhaps future there should separate meetings forestry development issues developing countries another forestry industrialized societies I I agree could learn other It vital however future Congresses better planned enable happen Given frustrations worth attended World Forestry Congress I think It certainly useful overview recent thinking field diversity opinion issues I wondering however extent sample world foresters constituted representative cross section sample world forestry opinion It reminded those working social forestry development issues still ahead But build alliances minded colleagues working related development issues overcome inertia traditionalism conservatism forestry colleagues Sincerely Paula J Williams Forest Society Fellow References cited Saouma Edouard Forestry 1990s An interview Unasylva Williams Paula J 1978a The women forestry United States Forestry student essay competition Eighth World Forestry Congress 1978b Women forestry Presentation Eighth World Forestry Congress October Jakarta Indonesia Proceedings IV 1985a Women forestry Invited Paper Ninth World Forestry Congress I July Mexico City Mexico 1985b Global perspectives women forestry Newsletter PJW Institute Current World Affairs Hanover NH USA Preparations upcoming United Nations Conference Environment Development UNCED Newsletter PJW Institute Current World Affairs Hanover NH USA